Page 448 of Conveniently Wed
Her parents should never have placed him in this position. He would’ve given her the moon if he could’ve, especially when she looked at him like she was now. He choked on the words he was forced to say. “It also means no.”
Teardrops pooled on her thick lashes. Her eyes, deep and haunting, blinked, and tears splashed down her fine alabaster skin. She looked fragile, like a bruised flower.
A mad sorrow squeezed his heart. He would have much preferred her anger.
The desire to gather her close and tell her the truth overwhelmed him, but, knowing the circumstances, he bit his tongue and shoveled another bite into his mouth. It tasted like sawdust. When he looked up, she was gone.
He slammed his fist on the table so hard his skin split open.
Katie ran into the evening rain, stepping through the mud puddles pooling in the yard. She didn’t care. The hem of her gown turned as heavy as her heart.
She headed to the barn, and when she stepped inside, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the waning light. Her gelding nickered and lowered his head to nuzzle as Katie moved close. She threw her arms around his neck and let the sobs flow. Tabby circled around her feet, rubbing up against her.
She started at the weight of a hand on her shoulder and whirled around.
“Colby, you scared me.”
“You’re scaring me, running through a torrential downpour without a shawl. Come, we have to get you warm.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the tack room and closed the door. He shrugged out of his coat and placed it around her shoulders. The walls of the small room closed in, and the dwindling evening light cast them into almost complete darkness. He lit the nearby lantern and turned toward her. When he held out his arms, she walked straight in.
Since that night in the garden a month earlier, he had ignored her and she him. Without words, they both understood why. It was one of the reasons she’d wanted to leave for a while…to regain control and sort her jumbled feelings. How could she want Colby one moment and her husband the next?
She soaked in his warm embrace. With her ear pressed against his chest, she heard the hammer of his heartbeat through the muscled wall. They stood quietly for a long moment.
“I just wanted to go to Richmond with Ma."
“I know. I overheard the conversation.” His hands soothed a gentle path down her back, and he pulled back enough to look into her tear-stained face. “Katie, it was strange. I walked in after you left, and Josiah asked me to go find you. He said you’d need comfort. When I told him that was his job, he told me he was no longer the one you needed. That I was.”
Waves of guilt pounded through her tortured soul. “But we never talked about?—”
He placed a finger on her lips.
“It’s no use denying the obvious. We’ve skirted around the truth for too long now. Josiah knows how we feel about each other, and he doesn’t seem to care.”
The tension mounted as she raised her head to look deep into his eyes. Did Josiah really not care? Should she finally give in to the tenderness Colby offered? His head bent toward her waiting lips.
The door opened.
Katie’s heart leapt to her throat at the man’s form filling the frame. “Pa.” She jumped back from Colby’s embrace.
He stood without moving. His head dropped. “I see the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” The sadness in his voice was palpable. His weathered brow bunched as he held the door open. He waved at Colby. “Out.”
“Yes sir.” Colby moved with lightning speed.
Katie’s indiscretion burned like a live coal in her stomach.
“Katherine, you and Josiah have some business to discuss. Either you tell him, or I will.” With that, Pa walked away, his shoulders slumped and his head down.
25
Katie waited for Josiah in the kitchen with her head in her hands. A week had passed, and she had not yet faced the worst conversation of her life. But she had to. Tonight. Pa would force her hand if she didn’t.
At the bustle of fabric swishing against the hardwood floor, Katie lifted her head and breathed out relief. Delilah crossed the kitchen.
A warm, fleshy arm encircled her shoulder. “Katie girl, you’ve been unhappy for too long now.” Delilah pulled her up into one of her warm hugs and didn’t let go. Shorter than Katie, the starch from her turban brushed rough against her cheek.
“You know I love you, don’t you?” Delilah pulled back, her dark almond shaped eyes piercing.
Katie nodded.
